Later That Night
I've been in the hospital wing all day.
Shortly after waking up from being knocked unconscious, one of the nurses explained that I suffered an accident during the quidditch tryouts. Recklessly reaching top speed on a broom and ultimately catapulting myself into a barricade wasn't my most brilliant hour.
I suffered a serious concussion and sprained my arm. Considering the velocity of speed I was going, it's a miracle that I wasn't hurt much worse.
I only remember just a snip of the accident due to the bloody concussion. But on the bright side, I was informed that I succeeded in catching the aggravating golden snitch.
The unpredictable Gryffindor team captain could treat this in one of two ways. She could recognize the accident as an example of my tenacity and yearning to be on the team. On the other hand, I could be viewed as not the most graceful candidate after squashing myself like a bug against a windshield.
The sound of heels stomping across the marble floor echoes throughout the hospital wing. Ginny speed walks into the entrance and immediately approaches one of the nurses.
"Speak of the bloody devil," I mutter to myself. I rub my throbbing temples while lazily watching on from afar.
Ginny rushes to my side once she finishes speaking with the nurse. She's wearing a studded leather jacket, black skinny jeans and matching boots. Folding her arms, she paces back and forth before standing in the corner adjacent to me. The authoritarian facade was no longer existent and she looks distressed.
"Are you alright?"
"Never better," I grumble with a smirk.
"I came as soon as I could." She takes a seat at the foot of my bed and crosses her legs. "I had to finish the tryouts, but it was difficult to pay attention after sending someone to the hospital."
I sit there in silence. Frankly, the redhead's concern over my wellbeing throws me off.
"I apologize for being so hard on you. But it was only because I saw the potential in you, and-"
"Stop, stop, stop." I cut her off, holding a hand up as I sit up. "Who are you, and what did you do with that bossy, rather bitchy redhead from earlier?"
Her cheeks exude a rose coloring as she fights back a smile. She narrows her eyes leaning closer. "Is that really how you wish to speak to the person who got you on the Slytherin quidditch team?"
"Does that mean..?"
Ginny nods her head unleashing a repressed smile. "Congratulations, Harry; Slytherin's new seeker."
"Brilliant!" I shout instantly growing light headed. My head pounds as I recline to the pillows.
"Don't get too excited," she advises arching an eyebrow. "That's not for at least another two weeks."
"What? What about the introductory course? Why another two weeks?"
She lightly smacks the bottom of the sling holding my arm. I cry out in pain as she leans back folding her arms in amusement. "Does that answer your question?"
I wince blowing heavily through my mouth. "Yes. And welcome back, rather bitchy redhead."
Ginny gives a sarcastic 'ha ha' while opening her purse. "Here." She hands over a tiny vial of potion. "Pain killer. It's a bit stronger than what they have around here," she adds with a wink.
A dumb crooked smile crosses my face as I place the fuchsia colored potion in the drawer next to me. "Thanks."
"It's no problem," she replies buttoning her purse shut. "I make them all the time."
"No, not for that."
She stops fidgeting with her bag and slowly looks up to me. I rotate my head on the pillow so I'm fully facing her. "Thanks for believing in me."
Ginny promptly shakes her head and raises her hands. "You are the one that caught the snitch. I had no doing."
I roll my eyes at the words that were about to come out of my mouth. "But if.. if it weren't for you, I wouldn't have pushed myself to the extent that I did."
"And if it weren't for me, you wouldn't be sitting in this janky hospital bed," she snorts rolling her eyes.
"I mean it, Ginny." I demand her eyes as the smile fades from her lips. "I've been sheltered my entire life by my adoptive parents; treated as a nuisance rather than as a son. They never attended a single one of my lacrosse games," I share in a rare moment of vulnerability. "You trusted my abilities, something my parents never did, and I did it. If my biological father was still around, I think I would have made him proud."
There's a pause of silence as she breaks our gaze. My stomach churns. Maybe I had shared too much.
Ginny stares at the ceiling blinking rapidly. She looks back to me, her eyes glistening, as she reaches over and covers the back of my hand with hers.
"You are proving your father proud," she states firmly. "And your adoptive parents sound dreadfully boring; it would be a shame not to get to know someone such as yourself." Her cheeks flush as she quickly adds, "At least, from what I've seen."
My mouth twists into a smile. "I'd like to show you more."
A couple pairs of feet enter the room from behind at a running pace. "Harry?" Hermione calls.
Ginny swiftly removes her hand from mine and casually fits her fist beneath her chin. But based off the look on Hermione's face, it wasn't swift enough.
"Sorry. Was I.. interrupting something?" Hermione hesitates.
There's an awkward pause in the room. I lean forward and see Ron standing beside her.
"Ginny." Ron walks past Hermione on our way to us. "What're you doing here?"
"Hi little brother," she chirps. "Was just leaving." After shooting me a quick wink and unleashing a batch of butterflies in my stomach, Ginny stands to her feet and grabs her purse.
Ron passes his sister and takes her place on my bed. "Are you alright there, Harry?"
"Fine, thanks." I shift in the bed so I'm in a more upright position. "Of course, you would have known that had you come to visit earlier," I add with a disappointed finger wave.
"Better late than never," he replies with a casual shrug.
"Rest up, Potter." Ginny rotates on her heeled boots and struts toward the exit. "I'll see you on the field."
"See you on the field?" Ron repeats, his lower lip hanging low. "Did you make the team, then?"
I cheerfully nod my head while Malfoy catches my attention from the doorway. He makes it a point to ignore Ginny in passing. He slowly walks toward us with both hands in his pockets. His eyes transition between the two Gryffindors, his gaze lingering on Hermione.
He wordlessly passes them before focusing on me. "You look like rubbish, Potter."
"Thanks mate."
Ron lets out an annoyed sigh crossing his arms. "What're you doing here, Malfoy?"
"I could ask you the same question, Weasley."
"Hmm let's see.." Ron taps his chin looking toward the ceiling. "Oh, I know! Maybe because Harry's my friend, you twit."
I roll my eyes while rubbing my temples. It wasn't easy having two of my best mates in the school loathe each other.
"Off to bed, students." An elderly female nurse enters the room in perfect timing. "It's time for Mr. Potter to get some rest. Mr. Malfoy, please assist him back to the dormitories as instructed. Now, off you go." The nurse helps put some sort of bath robe around my shoulders to cover me up.
"I'm fine.. really," I insist. I get a loathsome head rush from standing too quick and fall back on my arse on the bed. Hanging my head in my hands, I let out a defeated groan.
"Get up, you lazy oaf." My 'sympathetic' roommate hooks one arm around my uninjured one, helping me to my feet.
We make our way toward the exit. Ron assists him, putting a stable hand on my back from the other side. There's a rare moment of silence between them.
It's almost more uncomfortable having the two not at each other's throats.
Hermione leads the way holding my bag full of quidditch gear and dirty clothes. She guides us toward the first set of stairs. Thankfully, it would only require one layover trip between the unreliable stairwells to reach the Slytherin Common Room.
On the route to our next destination, the second staircase suddenly changes its direction and comes to an abrupt halt. The four of us lose our balance as we're violently shoved to the left. I grasp onto the railing for dear life. My head is spinning and I'm getting sick to my stomach.
After standing there for nearly 5 minutes in a tense silence, Malfoy takes a seat on one of the steps facing us. "Of course I'm stuck on the one defective staircase in the bloody castle with a Weasley," he scoffs.
"Piss off," Ron sneers. He storms up the stairs passing him.
"Ron," Hermione calls after him in a threatening tone. "Just where do you think you're going?"
"Away from him!"
I groan taking a seat next to Malfoy. I replay the mental image of leaning over the banister and puking my brains out. We're easily a few stories up, and that would be a terrible surprise to those beneath us. Luckily, most of the students appeared to already be in their dorms.
Hermione ascends the stairs stomping her feet in aggravation as she nears Ron at the top. "This is the third floor. It's forbidden," she reprimands.
"Forbidden, is it?" Malfoy's eyes flash with mischief.
"Don't do it," I warn. Of course, he doesn't listen to me.
He pats me on the back before starting his mission to the top. I moan in severe annoyance and rise to my feet. I then lazily follow his footsteps with my head down.
It didn't seem as though the stairs had any intention of moving any time soon anyway.
Once I step off the top step and on to the ledge, the disobedient flight of stairs promptly moves to the correct destination.
"You've got to be yanking me."
Ron opens a lone door and we file inside one by one. We enter an ominous, cave-like room. It's littered with cob webs attached to creepy statues dispersed throughout. A row of pillars lining the walls light on fire as we walk past.
My adrenaline kicks in and I lose all symptoms from the accident. My fight or flight instincts are on high alert. It feels as if we're being watched. We speed walk across the pavement until we're ultimately faced with a dead end.
"Well, that was fun." Ron's eyes are wide observing a humongous spider web. "Best get going back now.."
I join Malfoy who had wandered off to a shadowy corner. He yanks a locked door as the padlock slams to and fro.
The conspicuous rusty stairwell creaks signaling its arrival to the third floor again. Prominent footsteps ricochet off the cobblestone walls.
Whoever it was, they were getting close. Very close.
"We have to hide!" I hiss.
We burst into a panic as Ron tries to open the locked door once more. Malfoy heavily shoves him to the side giving another useless tug.
"Oh move over!" Hermione demands aggressively cramming herself between them. She whips out her wand and nears the tip to the door. "Aloe Hamora."
The lock instantly detaches as the door creaks open. The three of us delay in astonishment. It never got old watching the heavily resourceful witch work her magic.
"Let's go!" She assertively shoves Ron, followed by Malfoy, into the conveniently located hiding spot. I'm spared of the physical assault due to my injury.
"Aloe Hamora; and when did you learn that one, bloody know-it-all?" Ron taunts while closing the door behind me.
Hermione folds her arms with eyebrows lowered. "When you weren't paying attention in Charms, clearly."
"Would you look at that?" Malfoy chimes in with a smug smirk. "Weasley's terrible at Charms just as much as he is quidditch. Couldn't even make the bloody team that his sister's the captain of. Pathetic."
"Don't bring my sister into this," Ron threatens. "Just because your father bought your way into the Slytherin team doesn't mean shit."
"At least my family can afford a broomstick."
"At least my family actually cares for me and doesn't buy my love."
"Ronald," Hermione fumes.
Malfoy furiously mutters something under his breath while taking a step away from us. He casually smoothes the sleeves of his jacket as he gathers himself. Although he tried to appear as though the harsh words didn't hurt him, his body language was saying much different.
I could relate to Malfoy. My adoptive parents tried to gain my respect through monetary purposes, but it never fulfilled the gaping hole in my heart; the lack of unconditional parental love.
I would stand up for the bloke if I wasn't suddenly overwhelmed in critical fear.
I point my finger up as the three turn to me. "Em.. guys?" Their mouths hang agape while peering above us.
We're standing beneath an easily four story, three headed dog that towers over us. It's sleek black with short haired fur, and its fangs are probably the same height as me. Each of its heads connect at the base of its neck and they shared the same four legs.
We scream and holler in unison bolting toward the exit. The massive monster begins to take shots at us, each head taking turns chomping in our direction. The deafening, guttural growl shakes the walls. Copious amounts of saliva hanging from the creatures mouths drips all over us.
Ron's first to the door and breaks it open. Being the clumsy bloke that he is, he trips over himself and face plants onto the ground. Malfoy has his arm around Hermione and escorts her before himself out of the room.
"Ron, get up!" Hermione shouts. I look behind to find him still on the ground. I don't know whether he was stunned frozen or injured, but he's not moving. There's a thunderous jingle of metal chains restricting the beast from within the dungeon.
The three-headed dog was on a mission to make Ron its late-night snack. It makes another attempt to strike, this time almost reaching his shoes.
Without another thought, I lunge forward and grasp the back of Ron's shirt with my free arm. I yank him just inches from the furthest distance the monster could extend its neck. I lose my balance falling to the ground behind him.
We both squirm backwards on all fours.. well, all three for me. I hold my injured arm close to my chest relying heavily on my other to safely guide myself out of harm's way.
Ron and I clear ourselves from out of the hellish room. Malfoy and Hermione shove all of their body weight against the door in an effort to close the barricade holding the beast.
The door smashes the snout of one of the heads as it lets out a bellowing cry.
I yell at Ron to help them. I only had the use of one arm along with a severely fucked up equilibrium. With how bloody dizzy I am, the monstrous dog could in fact only have one head but I'm seeing three.
I helplessly watch on, horrified for our lives.
Ron finally gains the gumption to get back up on his feet. Malfoy and Hermione grunt in thorough struggle, losing the battle of strength against the behemoth creature.
Unexpectedly, Ron winds his fist back and punches one of the deformed dog heads directly on its nose. It howls another loud cry as it fully retracts itself back into the dungeon.
The three jump at the opportunity and slam the door shut. Ron turns to me shaking from head to toe, his face as pale as a ghost. His back slides down the door until he faces me on the ground.
"Good thinking, mate." I pant, initiating a tired high five with him.
Hermione stands frozen in place, horrified, with her arms snuggly wrapped around herself. Malfoy silently watches her who's also visibly shaken. I watch him pull her in for a hug, comforting her in his arms.
And I'm nauseous again.
Hermione slightly inches away from his touch by default, but her eyes remain glued on my roommate.
"What on earth are the four of you doing here?" Professor Snape abruptly emerges from the darkness charging toward Malfoy. Malfoy promptly removes his arms from around Hermione.
"All of you; get back to your dormitories," he instructs annunciating every syllable. "Now."
Ron and I boost ourselves up from the ground. I dust my pants off while discreetly inspecting Snape.
What the bloody hell was he doing here?
Sure, students weren't supposed to be here. That's fine. It's forbidden. The creepy room, cob webs, and lethal trio headed dog clued me into that.
But why was Snape here?
The four of us silently make our way to the stairwell.
"Mr. Malfoy," Professor Snape addresses. "You will join me outside of the Common Room in 2 minutes. Is.. that.. clear?"
I glance back at my roommate. He uncomfortably rubs the back of his neck while staring at the ground. He appears guilt ridden; caught red handed in some sort of unidentifiable act.
Malfoy gradually nods his head. I give one last look between him and my dodgy professor before successfully making my way back to the loathsome staircase.
It was one hell of a grueling day, and it was time to go to bed.
